In short:
Bruce Newbold required surgery to his legs after four domestic dogs bit and knocked him to the ground on Cable Beach in Broome on July 17.
Between 2021 and 2023 more than 200 patients were treated for dog bites in Broome.
What's next?
The Shire of Broome has confirmed it's investigating the incident and the dog owner has been spoken to.
A 77-year-old man from New South Wales has been released from hospital after being attacked by up to four dogs on a popular beach in Western Australia's north.
Bruce Newbold said he had just parked his car on the shoreline, about 2 kilometres north of the rocks at Cable Beach in Broome, when he was approached by what he initially thought were friendly dogs on July 17.
“[I thought] they are probably just coming down for a cuddle or something, or a pat, and I waited for them to get there,” he said.
Mr Newbold said he was quickly surrounded by the animals and knocked to the ground, suffering bites to his legs.
“They started standing on their back legs and pushing me,” he said.
“I was trying to kick them away with my foot and my hand — they just kept doing it.”
Mr Newbold said he tried to escape from the dogs by walking into the ocean, but could not get up off the sand.
“I'm trying to get in the water so they wouldn't follow me, but I couldn't. I was on the ground,” he said.
The tourist, who has been in Broome for almost two months, believed a woman who he had seen earlier with the same dogs, drove off.
“I think I heard a noise from up where the girl's car was,” Mr Newbold said.
“They all turned around and went.”
Mr Newbold alerted a nearby fisher who wrote down the woman's car registration and checked over his wounds.
“The guy stopped. He said ‘get to the hospital straight away'. He was very good.”
After attempting to drive to the hospital himself, Mr Newbold called his friend John Deane who rushed him to Broome's emergency department.
“[It was a] pretty horrific mess,” Mr Deane said.
“It really tore that left leg open, it was a big wound.”
Mr Newbold said it was still too early to tell whether his visit to Broome would be cut short due to the nature of his injuries, leaving him unable to drive back to NSW.
Rangers investigating attack
The Shire of Broome has confirmed it is investigating the incident.
A spokesperson said rangers have spoken with the dogs' owner who was unaware her animals were involved in an attack.
Mr Newbold was not able to identify the breed of dogs involved but said he was concerned for other beachgoers.
“People shouldn't have those sort of dogs, especially on the beach,” he said.
“If they got a hold of a couple of kids I don't reckon they'd be here anymore.”
Dog bite spike
A recent report published by researchers at Broome Regional Hospital found the Kimberley town had recorded seven times the national average of hospital admissions from dog bites.
Between 2021 and 2023 more than 200 patients were treated for dog bites in Broome.
The Shire of Broome said it was taking steps to address pet ownership issues.
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